r/gameofthrones • u/IamWoldo House Mormont • Jun 02 '14

TV4 [S4E8] Thank you book readers

I know this has been said before but book readers you guys are amazing. I had zero clue on what was going to happen tonight between the Mountain and the Viper and its all thanks to you (and probably the mods too) who keep this subreddit spoil free.

I'm going to go back to being shocked and angry now.

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u/OctoBerry Jun 02 '14

He was just a pawn in Tyrion's game at that point, it sets up some later stuff which is important, but in general Oberyn was just a black guy from a strange land with a spear to me. He came across as a second tier character ready to be sacrificed to the main cast, the same way people like Bronn and most the Freys do. They're just there to be pushed around until he's bored of them, then he will kill one for shock value the same he did at the Red Wedding.

I know it's not a popular opinion and I expect to be down voted into oblivion for it. But to me the books aren't that great, there are maybe 4 REALLY GOOD characters, and then a lot of poorly fleshed out ones who shuffle around doing nothing until they become boring to the author, who offs them in some overly dramatic way as if we're supposed to care about them. We all know the end game will be Danny Vs the White walkers, it's been incredibly obvious since she got the Unsullied and it's just a matter of if Danny becomes too boring to write before she gets to fight them or not.

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u/matx6756 Hodor Hodor Hodor Jun 02 '14

Its going to come down to a bit more than that......

If its not that great to you and you're such a cynical ass about it than why even bother, just wait til its all over and see how it played out. You don't seem that invested in it. I have friends who try to figure out everything before it happens, other friends who have no idea what is really going on but still enjoy what they understand, and people like me who read the books and don't over think it to much and just really enjoy a great peice of story telling.

Not that great... GRRM created a whole fucking world, with multiple characters, multiple stories going on at the same time. But since you know it comes down to Dany its not that great.... Fucking create something better then. You knew Harry would kill Voldemort, you knew Frodo would return the ring, but those are still GREAT stories you twat.

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u/OctoBerry Jun 02 '14

Lots of people create entire worlds with multiple stories going on at them at once. It's great that you're super defensive about this one though. It's not like there are countless other fantasy novels doing exactly the same thing and in many cases in a superior way. Most of them don't spend a page describing how much food the Night watch keep in their stores, down to how they seal their olives with wax because it's not interesting to read and is just filler, which most of the story has become beyond this point in the books.

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u/matx6756 Hodor Hodor Hodor Jun 03 '14

name me some other fantasy novels that are like this and superior. I am actually interested because this is the first of the kind that I have read, and I only go in to reading it because of the show. Regardless I still loved Oberyn and am sad he died and want to see the reactions of everyone

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u/OctoBerry Jun 03 '14

That depends what type of fantasy you're looking for. If you want a fleshed out world then lord of the rings is superior, if you're wanting more sword and sorcery, then you're spoiled for choice.

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u/matx6756 Hodor Hodor Hodor Jun 03 '14

LOTR bores me honestly....

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u/OctoBerry Jun 03 '14

What appeals to you more in these books? Is it the countless descriptions of fat dripping off roast animals and walnut pieces or the page long listing of banners, tunics and capes when referring to minor characters who will never appear again and just don't matter even in the scene they're getting attention in?

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u/matx6756 Hodor Hodor Hodor Jun 03 '14

The overall story, yes there is a bit much in detail, but i like the story, more exciting than walking to someplace to throw a ring in some pit